Posted on 07/31/2006 10:31:54 AM PDT by NYer
The dread, damp palms and anxiety may still be there, but Catholic confession has moved out of the dark, creaky booth where a priest listened to penitents and then meted out penalties to every last sinner to show up.
The confessional box has largely given way to a lighted room where priest and penitent can gaze into each other’s eyes and have a private conversation about lapses in holy living. That’s especially true in Arizona, where Catholic churches tend to be newer.
Or sinners can still anonymously recount their wrongs kneeling behind a screen on a table in a well-lighted room, uttering the traditional words, “Bless me, Father, for I have sinned” and noting the date of the last confession. Largely gone is the dark confessional booth, tagged the “sin box,” with a kneeler and demarcating shuttered divider between the two parties.
Also gone are the long lines of penitents who humbly spill out their venial and mortal offenses to God through a priest who is forbidden from repeating them to anyone. 
Personally I prefer the older confessionals to "reconciliation rooms" and especially the type displayed in the picture. I have never seen one setup like that, but it seems rather problematic to me. For one I guess you would have to approach this confessional cubicle from a specific angle to retain the canonical right of the individual penitent to remain anonymous. The other problem I would see is that a traditional confessional or a dedicated room would at least act as a baffle to help to prevent people from overhearing your confession. An open confessional would require awaiting penetents to stand much further away to avoid this problem.
Now of course compared to what happens during this amazing sacrament the furniture involved in facilitating it is of no consequence. Though I think we need a visual indicator that the sacrament of confession isn't something mundane, but something quite exceptional. What could be more exceptional than forgiveness of sins when we truly repent?
I have also always wondered how someone who is forced to make an appointment for confession retains there canonical rights to anonymity? Would you have to give a false name and then say you will meet the priest in the confessional at a certain time? Would you have to confess to giving a false name?
On the light side the confessional pictured looks like it would make for a really challenging game of ping pong.
Ah, you misunderstand what "Church" is. Jesus Christ is the Mediator between God and man, correct? And the Church is the Body of Christ, yes? Thus, when we confess our sins, we confess them through our Mediator, Jesus Christ. The priest is the visible representative - not only of Christ, but of the community as a whole... A confession made to the Church is a confession made through the Divine Mediator, Jesus Christ, to God the Father in heaven.
Regards
I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior and by being Baptised that is a public profession of faith but Jesus is the one that saved me and he is the one to talk to.
Did you Baptise yourself?
Why do you need a representative? You can't handle your own business?
Exactly..Jesus is our mediator he is our link to God not the Priest.
Married, your comments were quite charitable. You might be pleasantly surprised at just how often and regularly Catholics directly confess their sins and ask for forgiveness without a "middleman".
I am curious about your opinion. Nothing set in stone, mind you. Only an opinion. Any thoughts on what Jesus meant or what He was doing when He said, "Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained."?
Just your opinion, I don't want to argue or try to convince you to a different way of thinking. I'm just curious if you have any thoughts you'd like to share on what that passage means. Freepmail me if you don't want to put it out for public consumption.
Australian wines are one of the great innovations of the last 20 years. Can't beat them for a wide variety of good quality reds. I'm partial to Texas wines, too, but that's a patriotism thing :-) ... my favorite Texas wineries don't distribute here, either.
Well I'm no Scholar but I do know that if you forgive someone for their wrong against you and they ask God for forgiveness as well then they are forgiven. Also if they ask you for forgiveness and you refuse to forgive them no matter if you forgive them or not. They ask God for forgiveness they are still forgiven but you are the one holding onto the sin and it will eat you up but the person who asked for forgiveness is free and clear. What does it mean to you? I will have to go home and read the verse and examine it more deeply.
That statement could be taken the wrong way. Jesus IS God. He is the Mediator with God the Father.
Jesus said that he is the truth the way and the light and that the only way to the father is though me.
Yes, He said that. He also said, "Amen, amen I say to you, before Abraham was made, I am" (John 8:58). What other way can you take that, other than recognizing the fact that He is God?
The life of the Cure of Ars is a story that really shows that with God all things are possible. John Vianney was a famous confessor, and was loved and revered by his parishioners. People travelled for miles and stood for hours in the rain just to speak to him for a few minutes, or hear him preach...This feast day is a good chance for anyone who has been away from the confessional to return. Pray to St John Vianney to help you make a good confession.When Father Vianney heard confessions, people would stand in line for hours.
It was as a confessor that his true talents lay. His spiritual directions and hearing of confessions was distinguished by common sense, remarkable insight, and supernatural knowledge. He would sometimes know what sins had been withheld in an imperfect confession. People travelled for miles and from around the world to make a confession to him. Sinners were converted at a few words from him. By the end of his life, he spend 16 to 18 hours a day in the confessional, and he was mobbed whenever he appeared. He heard 20,000 confessions a year, up to 300 a day.
By the end of his life, Saint John Vianney was visited by people from all over the world. He spent from 16 to 18 hours in the confessional each day, and survived on a few pieces of bread and a few hours of sleep. He performed miracles of aid and healing.
For me confession is the hardest part of my Catholic faith. St John Vianney has been a great help.
bump for later reading
Exactly he is God. Jesus,God and the Holy Spirit are all 3 in 1..the Trinity. I thought we were debating the confessional not whether or not Jesus is God which he is.
Yikes, and when in use all the lights in the neighborhood would dim.
Ok, I was just making sure we were on the same page concerning the Divinity of Christ. :-)
That is a truthful, scriptural statement. 1 Timothy 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,
Amen
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